Things What I Have Been Listening To This Week Vol. 2

Well, it's more like this month, but we'll leave calendar discrepancies to the pedants and dive straight into the tracks, albums, E.P.s and remixes that have been rocking my boat recently.

Tracks of the Week

Peace – Follow Baby

Despite what desperate music editors would have you believe, guitar music has never been dead.  But unlike most living people, it could do with a short, sharp shock, and Peace are here to slap on the defibrillator and get that cholesterol clogged heart moving up a gear.  Effortlessly cool, insidiously catchy and rakishly charming, Peace are here to make louche lads with guitars awesome again.  

Their début album, ‘In Love’,  is due out on March 25^th and you can pre-order it direct from the band here.  If you do (and you should), definitely go for the deluxe edition that includes B sides and previous single ‘Bloodshake’, which rocked my world for 2 solid months last year. 

Young Romance - Break My Heart By Morning

 

I straight up adore indie-pop, and this single from London loved up duo Young Romance ticks all the right boxes.  It’s all jangly guitars, lovelorn lyrics and a classic indie-pop drum beat, smothered in dark droopy bass and topped with a synth breakdown, and it gets me all hot under the cardigan.  They’re playing London Popfest tonight(!), to which I am currently going solo.  If you like this, and aren't some sort of creepy internet murder-person, come with.

Teleman - Christina

If you’re anything like me, you will at some point have lost your mind and coherent control of your limbs on a cider soaked dancefloor to this, from Pete and The Pirates.  Intriguingly, three of the members have split off and formed Teleman, who are rapidly building up quite a buzz with their début single Christina.  It’s radically different to any of Pete’s previous Pirate material, swapping the snakebite fuelled stickiness of the indie disco for the prim and neat studio trappings of Kraftwerk and the wonkiness of Metronomy.  It’s an almost infuriatingly simple song, where nothing much happens for four minutes, and yet you find yourself reaching for the replay button time and time again.  I can only assume it's laced with some sort of sonic nicotine.

Keaton Henson - Lying To You

Singer/songwriters trade on their ability to connect on a one to one level with their audience – there’s nothing between you and them, apart from a hollow wooden shell and some metal strings.  For some artists this level of intimacy and honesty has to be forced, but Keaton Henson appears to have no choice in the matter.

Arguably the new poster boy for the beardy emotional recluse, his is a fascinating story, one that appeals to anyone who’s ever been heartbroken and convinced of the artistic merit of that pain.  Except in his case what came out of it was a breath-taking début rather than a handful of try hard poems.  You can read more about him in the Guardian here, but before you do check out his latest single‘Lying To You’, above, taken from his new album ‘Birthdays’.

He's also currently engaged in a nationwide tour of museums, which is awesome.

David Bowie - The Stars (Are Out Tonight)

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ALBUMS OF THE YEAR (so far)

2013 is shaping up to be a cracking year for music, what with the imminent return of David Bowie, new albums from Daft Punk, The National, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and many, many more.  Not only that, but the number of great albums that have already been released is ridiculous - we're only just reaching March, and we've already been treated to a host of gems, including:

Veronica Falls – Waiting for Something To Happen

I loved the graveyard gloom pop of their first album, and whilst this follow up is a lot more upbeat, it’s still packed with their particular brand of jangles, hooks and harmonies.  A heady blend of nostalgia, idealism and romance, the album has pretty much been on repeat for the past fortnight and I'm still obsessed with it.  The whole thing is great, but Buried Alive, Waiting for Something to Happen and Teenage are particularly special, the latter being one of the greatest pop songs ever written.  Fact.

Yo La Tengo – Fade

Yo La Tengo are one of those perennial ever-green bands that seem to have been going for ever (since 1984 fact fans), and as such getting to know their voluminous back catalogue is quite a formidable task.  

It is, however, a very worthwhile occupation, as they're just super good at music, and Fade is as good a place to start as any. Showcasing the incredible range and depth of YLT’s songwriting and musicianship, the album's got it all - squalling guitars and fuzz, sprightly pop ditties, heart rending ballads and operatic flourishes, all held together by some wonderful lyrics and a voice that I would marry, were such things possible.

It's very difficult to pick a track out for demonstration purposes as it really is an album you need to hear all together, so if you're in a hurry you can try opening track 'Ohm' above, or if you're doing some hardcore procrastinating/skiving, have a gander at the whole thing:

  

Foals – Holy Fire

To be honest, whilst I have listened to the above tracks and albums often and intently, the real answer to the question ‘what have you been listening to recently?’ is Foals, Foals and more Foals.

The reason is that their new album Holy Fire is really, awfully, terribly good.  Whilst perhaps not as breathlessly exciting and frenetic as Antidotes, nor as great a stylistic leap forward as Total Life Forever, it does represent a refined, ultra sharp Foals at the top of their game.   Lead singles Inhaler and My Number are as brilliant as ever, and they're swiftly followed by warm heart of the record, the 5 song run from Bad Habit to Milk and Black Spiders.  It's Foals at their most open, accessible, and downright fun, with each chorus sounding bigger and more euphoric.  You've then got the balls to the wall rock chaos of Providence to deal with, rounded off by the minimalistic atmospherics of Stepson and Moon.  They're all brilliant in their own way, and it all gels together to make a truly great album.

In many ways it's an album that needs to be heard live, blasted out of speakers 60 foot high and backed by a chorus of 10,000 people in a field, but turning your headphones up loud enough and recruiting your fellow commuters works almost just as well.

A surefire album of the year contender, and it's only just gone March.

E.P Of The Year (so far)

3=Car - L.H.F

Officially 'The Best Band From Warwick University Ever', the sadly short lived 3=Car have released their 2nd and final E.P, available from their bandcamp page here.

It's a tremendous bit of work - short, but never narrow, packing an entire album's worth of ideas into its three tracks.  Bookended by L.H.F #1 and #2, it opens with what sounds like a call to prayer in the End Days, echoing vocals and pounding drums heralding the end of all things, only for it to veer sharply into early era Foals - all wiry, jerky guitars and complicated rhythms  And then we're back again, barraged by squalling guitars and frenetic drums - it's all terribly confusing, but all the more brilliant for it.

Second track, The Human Abstract, is a much calmer affair (at least to begin with) until the swirling guitars kick in and drag you into the inescapably catchy chorus.  It carries all the drive and lust of Wild Beasts, but as seen through the fractured lens of Radiohead, and it's a heady and addictive mix.

Drums are the driving force behind L.H.F #2, clattering and rolling underneath the increasingly complex guitars and keyboard lines, that ebb and flow and interweave effortlessly, creating an intoxicating and breathlessly exciting noise until it all finally gives way with one last smash.  It's loud, complex and brilliant.

Ultimately, it's the sound of 4 very talented lads having fun making some excellent noise, and if only they were less concerned with their 'degrees' and 'careers' we might get a bit more out of them.

The whole thing is available to download for free(!), but any donation you feel like giving goes straight to the Against Malaria Foundation, so you can pick up some great music and help save a life in doing so.

R-r-r-r-Remixes Of The Week

And finally, I'll leave you with three excellent remixes, that pull off the rare trick of adapting an already brilliant track without ruining what made it special, by adding a little twist of their own.  A little bit like a slice of lime in a G+T, or a dash of bitters in a whisky and ginger.  Anyone else thirsty?

Foals – My Number (Trophy Wife) Remix

Mhmm, more delicious Foals goodness - Trophy Wife have gone and made an already summery tune even more suitable for lens flare filled montages, and now all we need is some sunshine. 

Chvrches – The Mother We Share (Miaoux Miaoux Remix)

Chvrches have been riding a wave of hype ever since The Mother We Share hit the web last last year, and quite rightly.  Their driving synth pop is 80s inspired brilliance, but this remix lifts it up a notch, transforming it into a huge feel-good anthem, suitable for long lazy drives and girls flouncing about in summer dresses that are only just long enough.

Radiohead - Reckoner (The Twelves Remix)

A bit of an oldie this one, but by far and away my most listened to remix.  The song was brilliant to start with,  one of my favourites from arguably the best Radiohead album, In Rainbows (invective filled rebuttals may be sent to the usual address).  In a flash of genius, The Twelves have added a dance beat and cowbells, the only things Radiohead are normally missing.  The result is sheer crossover brilliance, and one that makes me really yearn for the days when every good indie dance track had cowbell...


That about wraps it up for this week/fortnight - any comments and suggestions can be sent to growyoung1@gmail.com, and yes, we do accept gifts.

Have a wonderful week or two,

Alex

Things What I Have Been Listening To This Week

Because Clearly The World Needs One More Music Blog

Since last October I’ve been helping out at a music venue in King’s Cross – mainly researching bands and assisting with admin and databases.  As exciting as that sounds (and I know you’re already leaning dangerously far forward on that chair, hovering on the edge) that’s not really what this is all about.  Essentially, I spend a lot of my week listening to endless bands, and after a while my brain starts to fizz and overheat, which I’ve been told invalidates the warranty on it.  So to avoid that awkward scenario, I’ve decided to condense and filter the fog of this week’s listening into one place, which has the added benefit of presenting you with a handy list to explore, and hopefully find something you like.

I am, of course, not the first to ‘discover’ these bands or tracks – some have been trumpeted from every blogosphere battlement there is, but that’s not really the point.  I think these are brilliant, and there’s a darn good chance you will too.  There’s video links for them what have moving pictures to go with their stereo sound, and a Spotify playlist for them what are on that magic box.

Tracks of the Week:

Death At Sea - Drag

Lead single from Liverpool based band Death at Sea kick us off – the pedant will argue that it’s yet more of the drawling, sprawling surf rock that’s been racing up the hype charts in the form of Swim Deep et al – but when it’s this good, I don’t really care.  It’s woozy, weird and a little bit mean; ‘The best moments of my life are just me and me’, and that makes me love it all the more.

Jagwar Ma – The Throw

Following neatly in the vein of drawling male vocals, this is the new single from Australian baggy revivalists Jagwar Ma.  Sounding like a lost single from 80s Madchester that’s been left out in the Sydney Sun for too long, it burbles along rather innocuously  until the bass kicks in, at which point it becomes a wholly different beast.  Only the hardiest of souls can avoid swaying and bobbing at that point, and when they drop in the trance synths for the last minute it’s pretty much game over for looking sensible.

Flaming Lips – Sun Blows Up Today

Talking of not being sensible, I present you the Flaming Lips.  I don’t know what there is left to say about this band, apart from the fact they seem to be engaged upon an endless war against our psyches.  Don’t watch the videos if you wish to use your retinas properly for the next week.

Mac DeMarco –Dreaming

Do make sure you watch this one though.  He makes dicking around in a building site in fancy dress, and then getting covered in condiments look like the coolest thing ever.  Which, of course, it is.  The song’s not bad either – think a cheerier Kurt Vile, plus giant wig.

Petite Noir – Disappear 

It’s rare to hear something these days that strikes you as genuinely new, and this is the most recent track to really make me sit up and pay attention.  Admittedly the lead single that this is the B-side too (Til We Ghosts) is more inventive and original, but there’s something about the dark and brooding electronics, with hints of the Cure and Joy Division, that’s straight up delicious. The Guardian New Band of the Day blog discusses it with its usual excellence here, if you fancy a read.

Carousels – Sweet Honey

Like all good tantrums, we’ve had our broody patch, and now we’re going to get a little loud.  Riff heavy shoegaze from Cambridge ticks all the right boxes, even down to a Jesus and Mary Chain reference in the title.  Sugary sweet vocals, screaming guitars and fuzz equals a delicious noise cake.  Come and have a piece.

Joanna Gruesome –Sweater

Along similarly syrupy fuzz lines (Yep. Totally happy with how that sounds) Joanna Gruesome do indie-pop with fury.  Imagine Allo Darlin’ freaking out and setting fire to their ukuleles, and you’re getting there.  Twee ‘til we die.

Dutch Uncles – Flexxin 

Now I guarantee you’ll have heard this one before – it’s been all over the radio, and with good reason.  Whilst it’s a great song, it’s on the list mainly by virtue of its video, which is just plain excellent. I hope against hope that the more people that watch it, the more acceptable that kind of dancing will be to do in public.  Totally engrossed flailing is the future of the dancefloor – sod looking sexy, just waggle your hands like you really, really don’t care.

Thumpers – Dancing’s Done

Let’s keep the joyous vibe going, with the debut single from Thumpers.  Sounding like an extra manic offcut from At War With The Mystics-era Lips, it’s all multi-layered vocals and synths, chopping and changing from arms aloft singalong to wobbly freakout.  There’s a lot to it, and at times it’s too much, but persevere and you'll find a whole bunch to love.

Coves - Last Desire

And finally for this week, it’s the new single from Coves, who are ruddy brilliant.  Lolloping bass and lollipop vocals, it’s a fantastic combination, and they get better and better with each release. I defy you to not have the chorus stuck in your head all week.

Videos of the Week!

Similar to tracks of the week, except you really, really, should watch these videos rather than just let them play in the background whilst reading this.

Cribs – Leather Jacket Love Song 

I’ve loved the Cribs ever since I was lent The New Fellas way back in the heady adolescent days of 2005, and their brand of idealistic but ramshackle DIY rebellion still has a place in my heart, especially when they do things like this. Celebrating 10 years as a band, they super sneakily transpose modern day Cribs onto the prepubescent Crib-lets at their first gig, which is as awesome as it is confusing. It goes to show that those people who video every waking moment of their child’s life might just be playing the long game, waiting for the day they can release a retrospective music video, rather than just being mental.

Embers – Part of The Echo

From the ramshackle to the epic, this one of a series of videos from the enigmatic Embers – a Manchester based band who knocked the long woolly socks off a number of music journalists back in October of last year.  It’s a truly remarkable achievement from such a young and unsigned band, but it does raise a lot of questions.  Did they break in a film it without anyone noticing? Is one of their Dads a vicar? And how come churches don’t always look that awesome?

I also wonder how the hell they go about playing gigs that aren’t in monumental churches.  How do widescreen epic bands like this play in dingy toilet circuit venues? Sigur Ros at the Barfly anyone?

It's also a really quite excellent song. 

Dizzee Rascal – Bassline Junkie

From east London prince of grime to Olympic national treasure to gurning comedy rap simpleton, Mr Rascal’s career is baffling and yet hilarious.  Look out for his sketch/impressions show on BBC 3 any day now.

Well, that's it for this week - keep an eye out for next week's collection, and until then, as always, you can get in touch with me via here or growyoung1@gmail.com if you have any comments, queries or suggestions.  

Or praise.  That would be nice.